Practical Information for visiting Morocco

The currency is the Moroccan dirham (MAD), and it is a closed currency — it cannot legally be obtained or exchanged outside Morocco, and there are limits on taking it out. Change what is left before departing.

ATMs are widespread in cities and towns, sparse in the deep south and mountains. Withdraw before heading into the desert or the Atlas.

Cash dominates. Cards work in hotels, larger restaurants and supermarkets, and essentially nowhere in a souk.

Tipping is customary and small — a few dirhams for a café, 10% in restaurants, and something for the guardian who watches your parked car, which is an informal but universal job.

Bargaining is expected wherever no price is marked. Start well below the asking figure, stay pleasant, and be willing to walk away — a price is only real when both sides accept it.

Coverage is good in cities, towns and along the main roads, and patchy in the High Atlas and deep desert.

Local SIM cards from the main mobile operators are inexpensive and sold at airports and in every town.

Free Wi-Fi is standard in riads, hotels and cafés.

Morocco is generally safe for visitors and violent crime against tourists is rare. The common problems are commercial rather than criminal.

Unofficial guides and touts operate around medina entrances, transport hubs and major sights. A firm, polite refusal and continuing to walk is effective; engaging in conversation is what commits you.

Getting lost in the medina is normal — Fès el-Bali has thousands of lanes and no usable grid. Offline maps work poorly there. Noting a landmark near your riad and asking a shopkeeper rather than a passing volunteer is the reliable method.

Petty theft occurs in crowded souks. Single women travellers report persistent verbal attention, which is usually harassment rather than threat but is wearing.

Mountain weather changes fast, and Toubkal requires an authorised guide by law.

No vaccinations are required; hepatitis A and typhoid are commonly recommended.

Do not drink the tap water. Bottled water is cheap and universal. Be cautious with salads and unpeeled fruit outside established restaurants.

Heat is the main seasonal risk inland, where summer temperatures make midday activity genuinely dangerous.

Altitude matters in the High Atlas — Toubkal is above 4,000 metres, and ascents from Imlil are fast enough for altitude sickness.

Healthcare is good in private clinics in Casablanca, Rabat and Marrakesh and limited in rural areas. Insurance with evacuation cover is advisable for mountain or desert travel.

Dress modestly, particularly away from beach resorts: shoulders and knees covered for both men and women. This is courtesy rather than law, and it noticeably changes how you are treated.

Non-Muslims may not enter most working mosques. The Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca and the Tin Mal Mosque are the main exceptions.

Alcohol is legal but socially restricted — sold in licensed hotels, bars and some supermarkets, rarely in medinas, and not during Ramadan daylight.

Drug offences carry serious penalties, including for cannabis, despite its cultivation in the Rif. Approaches to sell to tourists are common and sometimes set up.

Public displays of affection are frowned upon, and same-sex relations are criminalised — a legal fact LGBTQ+ travellers should know before arriving.

19 reaches police in cities, 177 the gendarmerie outside them, and 15 ambulance and fire.

Private clinics in Casablanca, Rabat and Marrakesh are the best facilities. Public hospitals are stretched, and rural provision is limited.

Payment is generally required up front at private clinics, so insurance documents matter at the point of care.

Pharmacies are widespread and well stocked, and pharmacists give informal advice for minor problems. For mountain rescue, the authorised guide system is the practical route to help — another reason it is required on Toubkal.